Return to Dare County

State of North Carolina}
        Dare County        }
In the name of God Amen, I, Nancy Hooker of Roanoke Island, Dare County, North Carolina being of sound mind and memory but considering the uncertainty of my earthly existence do make and declare this my last Will and Testament in manner and form following that is to say;

First  That my executor hereinafter named shall provide for my body a decent burial suitable to the wishes of my relatives and friends and pay all funeral expenses together with my just debts howsoever and to whomsoever owing out of the moneys that may first come into his hands do a part or parcel of my estate.

Item.  I give and devise to my niece Nancy C. Meekins one half of the tract of land upon which I now live to be set out by metes and bounds on the northwest end of the high land so as to include my ?(main)  House all out houses and other improvements thereon and a one half and equal privalige of the marsh land adjoining said belonging to the said tract of land upon which I now live.  To have and to hold to her the said Nancy C. Meekins and her heirs in fee simple forever.

Item.  I give and devise to Nancy Davis daughter of W.S. Davis one half of the tract of land upon which I now live the same being about three and on half acres on the south east end of  the said tract of land and also one half or ? equal interest with the said Nancy C. Meekins named in a former item of the marshland adjoining and belonging to the land upon which I now live to have and to hold to her and her heirs in fee simple forever but in the event of her death without any bodily heirs then it is my desire and will that the said parcel of land herein described to the said Nancy Davis shall belong to her eldest sister in fee simple forever.

Item.  I give and devise to my nephew Isaac N. Hooker all my right title and interest in all the land situated in the Callahaus Swamp on the west side of  Croatan sound entered and granted by the sale of North Carolina to Nathan Hooker decd, my late husband.  To have and to hold to him and his heirs in fee simple forever.

Item.  My will and desire is that all the residue of my estate if any shall be sold and my debts owing to me collected and there should be any surplus over and above the payment of my debts and burial expenses that such surplus shall be equally divided and paid over to my lawful heirs share and share alike to them and each and every of them Absolutely forever.

And lastly I do hereby constitute and appoint my nephew Isaac N. Hooker my lawful Executor to all interest and purpose to execute this my last will and testament according to the true interest and meaning of the same and every part and clause thereof without being required to enter into and bond or obligation for the purpose execution of this my will and testament hereby revoking and declaring utterly void all other wills and testaments by me heretofore made.

In witness whereof  I the said Nancy Hooker do hereunto set my hand and seal this the 24^th day of December A.D. 1892.
    /s/ Nancy [her x mark] Hooker       Seal

Signed, sealed, published, and declared by the said Nancy Hooker to be her last will and testament in the presence of us who at her request and in her presence subscribe our name as witnesses thereto.
    C.E. Ketcham
    D.W. Etheridge

State of North Carolina}          In the Superior Court
        Dare County        }
    A paper purporting to be the last Will and Testament of Nancy Hooker deceased is exhibited before me the undersigned Clerk of Superior Court for said County by Isaac N. Hooker, the executor therein mentioned an the due execution thereof  by the said Nancy Hooker by the oath and examination of D.W. Etheridge C.E. Ketchum the subscribing witnesses thereto: who being duly sworn doth depose and say  and each for himself deposeth and saith that he is a subscribing witness to the paper writing now shown him purporting to be the last will and Testament of Nancy Hooker that the said Nancy Hooker in the presence of this deponent subscribed her name at the end of said paper-writing which is now shown as aforesaid and which bears date of the 24^th day of December 1892.
    And the deponent further saith that the said Nancy Hooker the testator aforesaid did at the time of subscribing her name as aforesaid declare the said paper writing as subscribed by her and exhibited to be her last Will and testament and this deponent did thereupon subscribe their name at the end of said will as an attesting witness thereto and at the request and in the presence of said testator.  And these deponents further saith that at the same time when the said testator subscribed her name to the said last Will as aforesaid and at the time of the deponents subscribed his name as an attesting witness thereto as aforesaid the said Nancy Hooker was of sound mind and memory of full age to execute a Will and was not under any restraints to the knowledge information or belief of this deponents.  And further these deponents say not.
    C.E. Ketcham
    D.W. Etheridge

Severely sworn and subscribed this 3^rd day of January 1899 before me.
    Theo S. Meekins
        Clerk of Superior Court

North Carolina}
  Dare County }    S.S.  In the Superior Court
    It is therefore considered and adjudged by the court that the said paperwriting and every part thereof is the last Will and Testament of Nancy Hooker deceased.  Let the said Will together with the probate be recorded and filed.  This 3^rd day of January 1899.
    Theo S. Meekins
        Clerk of Superior Court